When it comes to cats, superstitions abound.  There are several superstitions about cats that have real basis in reality, albeit loosely.  Some of these superstitions are as follows:  A black cat crossing your path will bring you bad luck, cats are the rulers of the underworld, and cats will steal the breath from a baby while they sleep.

The first superstition about cats is that a black cat crossing your path will bring you bad luck.  I have invited several black cats into my family over the years, and, while this is purely a coincidence, they have all been the most loving cats I have ever been adopted by.  However, I have a basis for the superstition that is plausible, if not absolutely true.  When a black cat crosses your path while you are walking in a dark area, you may not see the cat.  The cat can trip you rather easily, making you fall and possibly hurt yourself.  Thus, a black cat crossing your path can easily be seen as a way to bring bad luck

The second superstition about cats actually originated in ancient Egypt.  In ancient Egypt, the cat was revered as the keepers of the underworld.  As a result of this, the cat was actually worshipped.  This was evident in the hieroglyphics of the time, often depicting the cat placed on a pedastal and being worshipped by the Egyptian people.

The third superstition about cats is that a cat will steal the breath from a baby.  This is based in fact, but it is only based there.  The reason that the superstition came about is that a baby is fed the sweetest form of milk, either from the mother’s breast or formula.  The cat will, if allowed, try to lick the residue of this sweet milk from the baby’s lips.  This can be seen as the cat trying to steal the breath from the baby.  The second part of the superstition comes from the method a cat uses to show its affections.  A cat loves to cuddle, and if allowed, it will cuddle with a baby.  However, a baby does not have the strength to push the cat off if it cuts off its airflow or is crushing the air from the baby.  Thus, the combination of the two of the cats tendencies with a baby can lead to the superstition that a cat will steal the breath from a baby.